Zainab Abbas: Pakistan reporter who left India sorry for old posts
shabby picturesA Muslim baseball commentator who left India unexpectedly earlier this week has denied being asked to do so.
Abbas claimed that the online comments made her feel” frightened and afraid.”
She also expressed regret to those who had been hurt by the content.
” I recognize and sincerely regret the harm done by the articles that were made public. In a statement posted on X( previously Twitter ), Abbas said,” I want to make it clear that they do not represent my values or who I am today.
Abbas was a member of the International Cricket Council’s( ICC ) digital team that covered the current World Cup matches. She had covered Pakistan’s World Cup opening match against the Netherlands when she arrived in India next year. She was scheduled to travel to Bengaluru, Chennai, and Ahmedabad to watch her country’s different games. On Saturday, Pakistan may face India in Ahmedabad.
Relations between the two nations are uncomfortable; since gaining their independence in 1947, the neighbors have engaged in three wars.
Abbas received criticism from American social media users after a policeman complaint was filed against her last week in the capital city of Delhi over her previous articles.
According to Advocate Vineet Jindal’s problem, Abbas had an unofficial X( previously Twitter ) account from which she had” derogatory and provocative content” about India and the Buddhist religion. On X, these articles are no longer accessible, but photos went viral.
Mr. Jindal also cited a message written by Abbas about Kashmir’s right to self-determination on her latest X account. India and Pakistan are divided into the Alpine area, and both claim it fully.
Additionally, the attorney requested Abbas’ removal as an ICC presenter in a letter to an important official in the Board of Control for Cricket in India( BCCI ), the organization that oversees Indian cricket.
Although there was no” immediate threat to her health ,” Abbas stated in her speech that she felt she needed some” space and time to reflect on what had happened” and that her family and friends from Pakistan and India were worried.
There was rumor that she had been compelled to leave India after she left. She had, however, left for private reasons, according to an ICC voice who spoke with the BBC.
Check out the BBC’s more India-related reports:
- Nervousness at the India-Pakistan World Cup match
- Shah Rukh Khan’s transition from a romantic prince to an action star
- Inside the product app con that extorts naked women
- Lack of alert is revealed by the fatal American river flash flood.
- How the first blind prosecutor in India made history in a prestigious court
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a day before
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Indonesia’s Belt and Road train off to an uneconomic start
JAKARTA – Maritime Coordinating Minister Luhut Panjaitan made it clear right away that Southeast Asia’s first shot train doesn’t just be restricted to the recently opened 143-kilometer track that wound through the tea estates between Jakarta and the hills town of Bandung.
In a 2018 interview, he admitted that the short distance made no sense and had, by inference, turn into an elephant if the Chinese-funded fast-rail, then known as Whoosh, mandated that people endure up to an hour of intense customers in order to reach the embarkation points at each end.
Panjaitan and his team came to the conclusion that bullet trains needed to travel at least 300 kilometers in order to make sense commercially, not the quick Jakarta-Bandung climb, where the rough gradients and four stations ensure it will never reach the speeds that make fast-rail… well, fast.
After several ceremonies with visiting Chinese officials that never quite saw the sleek train get far beyond the station, Widodok finally launched the long-delayed PT Kerata Cepat Indonesia China ( KCIC ) project on October 2. This brought back the Bandung – Surabaya plan.
As it stands, the project’s initial US$ 6.07 billion cost finally ballooned to$ 7.27 billion, forcing the government to break its promises not to use the state resources to help close the cash gap. That has embarrassed and infuriated both institutions.
The 44.4 % add-on for engineering procurement, followed by 22.2 % for what property experts claim were completely predictable land acquisition issues that caused early delays in just getting the venture off the ground, are said to have been the main contributors to the inflated cost, according to media reports.
The$ 1.2 billion cost overrun will be covered by a new$ 560 million loan with the China Development Bank( CDB ), down from an earlier estimate of$ 1.4 billion, according to Deputy State Enterprise Minister Kartika Wirjoatmodjo.
According to the news website Katadata Indonesia, when cost overruns are taken into account, KCIC’s total bill for the CDB did reach$ 4.5 billion.
The planned Surabaya extension, which would have been elevated along its whole length, was not going to be possible during President Joko Widok’s two terms in office due to his accomplishments in the infrastructure.
Panjaitan told Asia Times in 2018 that the 750-kilometer project, which stretches from Bandung to West Java’s brand-new but sparsely used Kertajati International Airport, Purwokarta, Jogjakart, Solo, Madiun, and Surabaya East Java interface town,” is a 20 to 30 year purpose.”
He predicted that by then, Jakarta and Bandung, which are already the third-largest cities in the nation, would be one enormous city. ” We need to consider more than just five years.” The transportation must remain present and span hundreds of kilometers.
The new Jakarta-Bandung rail may struggle to draw users despite reducing journey time from three days to 40 minutes. Instead of fighting traffic to get to the train, some potential passengers are likely to proceed using the existing freeway and nbsp,- bhp., for a journey of two hours.
According to KCIC, the railroad is not anticipated to generate a profit for more than 40 years, which is twice the return on investment assumption made in the initial feasibility research. According to one report from last year, there are 31,215 passenger trips per day, which is roughly half of the company’s original projection.
Similar to the regular train service that easily departs from the major facilities in the middle and nbsp of both cities, solution rates range from$ 16 to$ 22. The menu will undoubtedly be higher during complete activity, yet with a continuous subsidy. & nbsp,
Transport experts worry that the Jakarta-Bandung fast-rail may never lose its novelty value, even with a light rail commuter service at the Bandung end & nbsp, of the line, due to the lack of competitive fare at this early stage.
Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed his annoyance at the protracted delays caused by land and technical issues that were impeding the Belt and Road Initiative( BRI ), a project worth$ 1 trillion, almost entirely.
Xi, who was well aware of the damage it was causing to China’s unheard-of global infrastructure development and nbsp, travel, tried to give the project new urgency during a meeting with Widoho in Beijing next year.
In a joint statement released by the two leaders, they stated that they were dedicated to finishing the new railway” as scheduled as one of their flagship projects” and to working on” more strategic projects ,” which they referred to as” nbsp ,” as well as other projects.
When Xi attended the G20 summit in Bali andnbsp last November, both institutions wanted the railroad available for testing, which allowed for an opening. However, it was not the great ceremony they had hoped for while the two frontrunners watched a test run.
An Economic Coordinating Ministry spokesperson confirmed the Chinese rejection of Jakarta’s request that the CDB meet 75 % of the funding gap using the same funding structure that applied to the original mortgage for the job on the high-speed line improvement to Surabaya.
Instead, it will distribute who receives what based on the current makeup of the shareholders, with China Railway International Corp. and four other Chinese companies holding the remaining 40 % and the KCIC pool being controlled by four Indian state-owned companies, respectively. & nbsp,
Disgruntled Indonesian commentators point out that the Chinese estimated the project’s cost at$ 5.1 billion in 2015 tender documents, which is less than the$ 6.2 billion & nbsp alternative bid from Japan to construct the line.
In the end, even though the patient Japanese had done much of the early feasibility work, it was that and the notion that the Chinese would complete the task more quickly that swung the project & nbsp, Beijing’s way.
Speed has been everything in Widodok’s Indonesia, & nbsp, which explains why he is determined to move the new national capital from Jakarta to East Kalimantan, the ultimate cap on his sizeable legacy of infrastructure-building.
When an authorized study by KCIC in 2016 found at least four details along the trail that were thought to be geographically fragile, critics claim that engineering difficulties should have also been anticipated. & nbsp,
Public policy skeptics expressed their concerns about the job, some of them in letters sent directly to Widoho, & nbsp, with one vocal expert saying that such a little fast-rail wasn’t practical because it would take years to recover the cost.
In keeping with the late tech-savvy leader B J Habibie’s advice that Indonesia needed a cutting-edge mode of transportation. At last week’s launch & nbsp of the Jakarta-Bandung line, he said,” We must not be afraid to learn and try new things, even despite unexpected difficulties that may arise during the process.”
Its time will come, just not now, like the long-planned span across the Sunda Strait connecting Java and Sumatra. Coming governments will need to include it on the list of national strategic tasks, or else it will be beyond our economic features, one senior transportation official told Asia Times.
China would use commercial ferries to invade Taiwan
Despite China’s growing naval might, recent reports show that it relies heavily on commercial shipping for important marine operations, highlighting possible vulnerabilities and complicating marine rules of wedding in the event of a conflict with Taiwan.
As its amphibious battle fleet is still insufficient for important functions like an invasion of Taiwan, the People’s Liberation Army-Navy ( PLA – N) relies on business freight for sealift, according to a report by Naval News this quarter.
According to Naval News, a recent amphibious exercise held last month in Fujian province, which is located across from Taiwan and from which it is likely to launch an ambush attack on the self-governing island, demonstrated China’s reliance on roll-on / roll-off ( RORo ) ferries.
The Bohai Ferry Group’s ownership of the RoRo submarines in question, including the Bo Hai Bao Zhu, Bo Ha Heng Da, and Bo hai fei, is identified in the document. It states that these boats are assigned to the Eight Transport Group of the Maritime Militia for military operations and tasks and collectively displace 100,000 tons.
According to the report, the PLA-N now has 32 getting ship tanks, fewer than 50 smaller getting ships, six Zubr-class helicopter, and at least 15 Yuyi – class hovership. It also has eight Type 071 getting platform docks and three Type 75 landing helicopter dock.
In the event of a full-fledged Taiwan contingency, it determines that such an impromptu force would not be sufficient to transport the PLA Ground Force ( PLA – GF ) and PLA Marine Corps ( PLA – MC ) across the Taiwan Strait.
The Chinese government, which has 31 oceangoing RoRo ferries available, published national security standards in 2015 to build new human vessels to meet the minimum requirements for PLA-N recruitment, according to the Naval News statement.
However, according to Naval News, given the harsh and difficult conditions required to support a large-scale, cross-strait conquest of Taiwan, the PLA and its bank human merchant fleet are also probably able to offer significant aquatic landing capabilities or nautical logistics.
In a War on the Rocks article from October 2022, Thomas Shugart notes that the amphibious assault ships of the PLA-N could deliver 21, 000 troops and about one big brigade’s worth of equipment to Taiwan as part of their first getting wave.
Mandip Singh, however, claims that Taiwan’s 1, 200 tanks far outnumber the PLA in terms of total ability to land less than half that number in a single, synchronized, cross-strait amphibious landing in an article published in June 2023 for the Institute for Security & amp, Development Policy ( ISDP ).
Despite this, Shugart claims that amount pales in comparison to China’s potential for human fleets because businesses like the Bohai Ferry Group was deliver vehicles directly to the beach using modified ramps, momentary beach causeways, or captured ports, totaling more than two additional large brigades’ worth of equipment.
He notes that in a second sealift wave, China may deliver over eight large brigades worth of equipment and roughly 60,000 soldiers.
Additionally, Ian Easton notes in a research for Project 2049 from July 2021 that the PLA may aim to get 300,000 to 400 000 troops in order to immediately seize Taiwan after an attempt to assassinate the country’s civil and military leaders.
However, Easton points out that the PLA might need to send 2 million troops, including police and paramilitary personnel, to Taiwan in order to guarantee a three – to one – or five-to-one numerical advantage against the defender if Taiwan’s leadership survives the decapitation strike and successfully mobilizes its military and civilian population.
One aspect of China’s Military-Civil Fusion ( MCF ) strategy is the use of RoRo ships to increase its insufficient organic naval sealift capability.
Greg Levesque explains MCF as a whole-of-government initiative that aims to increase interaction between China’s civil research and commercial sectors and its military, law enforcement, and defense industrial sectors with the goal of turning Chinese economic and technological advancements into military power in an interview for the National Bureau of Asian Research ( NBR ) in June 2021.
As part of Beijing’s MCF strategy, China has targeted commercial vessels with good performance and high maneuverability for conversion to replenishment at sea( RAS ) vessels, according to Huang Yuwen in an article for the Naval Academic Bimonthly, a publication of the Taiwanese Navy.
With programs to promote local shipbuilders to design and produce a variety of ships for military use, according to Yuwen, China continues to incorporate its military and civil sectors. He says that having a sizable landing fleet to help force projection or marine landings is the ultimate objective.
With China accounting for 48 % of global factory result in 2022, putting it ahead of South Korea and Japan, such a approach lends itself readily to China’s position as the largest shipbuilding nation in the world. China’s merchant ship also faces difficulties in military readiness, despite having enormous deliver numbers and manufacturing capacity that could be reoriented to form an ad hoc marine landing fleet.
Shugart notes that China has developed technical standards for important civil ship types to ensure that, in the event of mobilization, they may meet national defense requirements in a separate article for War on the Rocks published in August 2021. He observes that many of China’s vendor ships are constructed with design elements and features that support the military.
Shugart adds that Chinese leaders have now begun to combine human delivery into supplementary military units rather than waiting for a crisis to organize and coordinate merchant fleets on the spot.
Shugart contends, however, that because they lack defense and have minimal destruction control capabilities, China’s human ships are likely to be attacked. Despite this, he claims that the PLA – N has been developing top-notch cruisers, destroyers, and frigates to provide a strong atmosphere and submarine defense system around an invasion fleet made up of human ships.
He continues by saying that because China’s bridge companies assert to have improved firefighting capabilities on their newer ferries, well-prepared human ships may be more difficult to destroy than some might think.
China’s possible use of human RoRo boats for an aquatic landing would also raise important questions for established rules of engagement during a war. RoRo ships can have the same hostile position as warships, Tomohisa Takei notes in an article published in July 2023 for the Sasakawa Peace Foundation.
Takei notes that the Hague Convention VII, a 1907 Convention Relating to the Conversion of Merchant Ships into Warships, establishes the rules for turning merchandiser ships into military vessels, including placing them directly under the control of the nation to which they belong, donning special flags and being under commissioned officer command, and abiding by the laws of armed conflict.
He points out that if China launches an amphibious attack on Taiwan, the Chinese government may claim that Taiwan is a part of China and does not identify it as an independent nation, nullifying China’s duty to abide by the rule and removing the requirement that RoRo ships fly Chinese flags.
According to Takei, this would make it challenging for the Chinese military to tell whether RoRo ships are carrying out military or civilian missions, possible violating the law of armed conflict’s distinction principle.
Afghans in UK visa limbo as Pakistan vows to expel migrants
shabby picturesThousands of Afghans who risked their lives to work for the UK in Afghanistan and escaped the Taliban are now trapped in neighboring Pakistan while they wait to get relocated.
As Pakistan begins a assault on immigrants without permits in response to rising cross-border tensions, some have admitted to the BBC that their days are spent living in fear.
Marzia worked for the English government as an English teacher. She has been awaiting a UK card for eight weeks and is heavily pregnant.
She says,” My physical and mental health are not good.”
Because of the work we did for the UK state, our lives were in danger when the Taliban government took control of Afghanistan. We were forced to remain hidden.
Marzia is just one of many Afghans who worked for or with the UK before the Taliban retook authority in 2021 and quickly withdrew when foreign troops did. Others who worked on British-led initiatives to promote democracy and fairness in Afghanistan and were former British military translators are eligible for the UK government’s settlement programs. Because the UK authorities asked them to travel so they could practice their permits, everyone is in Pakistan.
As they wait for word of a new life in the UK, some have been here for months, while others have stayed for more than an entire month. Additionally, they have no legitimate access to education or employment while they wait.
The majority of the people we spoke with declined to become quoted. Those who did request privacy have had their titles changed. Some people confided in us that they feared the Taliban might target them or their family back in Afghanistan or that there might be consequences for their situation. Previous Afghan government troops, contractors, and translators who worked for foreign forces are eligible for parole, according to the Taliban authorities.
Marzia claims that the card she used to enter Pakistan has expired and that her pass was taken by the UK authorities upon her arrival.
She claims that in late September, her caseworker at the International Organization for Migration ( IOM ), her point of contact in Pakistan, advised her not to leave her guest house.
It indicates that she has previously missed a doctor’s visit and is unsure of how to handle the birth.
” I am unable to give birth to my child in my hotel room. She claims that there is no service or person to assist me.
As she speaks, her message gets louder. The health of me and my infant will be in jeopardy. It’s time for them to assist us presently that we’ve worked to earn their favor.
Five additional individuals with expired Pakistani permits also claimed that the IOM, or their hotel quoting it, forbade them from leaving the property.
When questioned, the IOM responded that they had” never given the tips mentioned ,” stating that” IOM only advises to keep details about their whereabouts at their hotel reception when leaving the premises to ensure follow-up and support when and if necessary.”
awaiting responses from the UK
The Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy ( ARAP ) and the Afghan Citizen Resettlement Scheme ( ACRS ) are two UK government programs about which we spoke.
According to the authorities, 2,730″ administrators” and their relatives participated in these programs in Pakistan in September.
People who have been approved by the program and passed first security checks are asked to travel to a third country, typically Pakistan, so that their biometrics and ultimate checks can be finished because there is no method for the UK to approach visa applications in Afghanistan.
Yet leaving Afghanistan is challenging because there is a lengthy waiting list for passport-seeking citizens, and it can take months to get an Indian card. We spoke with a number of people who claimed to live in hiding from the Taliban government despite the asylum, while some claim their houses were raided.
Many people told the BBC that they were instructed to take only a small amount of cash to prevent problems at the frontier, which is now all but gone. In Pakistan, the UK government pays for their lodging and food.
They claim that despite being told or assuming they may only stay in Pakistan for a few months, they have been unable to contact the UK for assistance.
The Sulha Alliance, a nonprofit organization that advocates for Afghan speakers, told us that they were aware of some people who had waited for more than two years and some for close to two.
The plans were crucial anchors, according to group co-founder Sara de Jong, but” their implementation has been too slow and ineffective.”
According to Prof. de Jong,” to numerous Afghan speakers and another, whom we promised to bring to health more than two years ago, are still in Afghanistan, or waiting in Pakistan or other third places.”
We are issuing new permits to individuals in Afghanistan and other nations for resettlement these, according to a UK state spokesperson.” We continue to honor our commitments.
” The UK has made a bold and kind devotion to assist at-risk individuals in Afghanistan, and we have so much brought about 24, 600 individuals to security, including thousands of people who are ready for our Afghan resettlement programs.”
According to a government site, 21, 526 people participated in the ACRS and ARAP programs during the operation in 2021, including American citizens and those with settled status.
” Our lives are in grave harm.”
Jamal worked for the American army as a translator. He proudly displays images of his time in costume to me. He is currently residing in one place with his wife and children after more than five months in Islamabad. His children simply receive English classes online because he is unable to work legally.
My kids, who need my help, are in Afghanistan. I don’t include a duty to do anything here. Because of Covid, my children missed one month of school; after that, the Taliban arrived; and we missed our children’s schooling in Afghanistan. We then even missed the education of children in Pakistan.
Qasim, who collaborated with UK government, joins him. He claims he regrets coming after six months of living with his family of 10 in the same place.
He deeply told us,” In Afghanistan, women can’t get an education, but these none of my kids can sometimes.
He believes that by participating in the system, he had run a greater risk of turning around.
If our lives were in 50 % danger before we left Afghanistan, they are now in 100 % danger.
Their apprehension of Pakistan’s officers has grown. While they claim to have always been aware of the possibility of being stopped while walking down the street, others on the ARAP program informed them a little more than year before that police had broken into their hotel early in the morning, taken some of them to the police station, and then released them some hours later.
According to Qasim,” A person’s individual living wherever he happens to live may be safe, but even that is no respected.” Afghans have been under a lot of anxiety since the authorities began raiding hotels; not only my home, but others as well, and it has led to emotional issues for them. This is an extreme activity on their part that no one can handle.
Jamal concurs.
There are no assurances as to whether or not we will be detained, he claims.
The BBC has been shown a message from the British government that stated that they” are continuing to work with the Pakistani officials to resolve issues regarding expired permits … and will take actions to quickly solve situations should they happen” in response to questions about Pakistan police possibly entering hotels.
However, the two people and other people the BBC spoke with are still very uneasy.
They do not include documents, just like Marzia, and their Pakistan permits are no longer valid.
” English authorities, do things right away.”
Pakistan has stated that it does not target Afghans in its efforts to crackdown on illegal immigrants, but the minister who announced the policy claimed that 1.7 million Afghan people reside in Pakistan improperly.
According to experts, the decision was made as tensions between the two nations grew. Pakistan has charged the Taliban with housing radical organizations that target Pakistanis.
Afghanistan disputes this and claims that despite having the necessary documents, Pakistani authorities are harassing Afghans. The numerous Afghans who have crossed the border into Pakistan over the years will be impacted by the consequences.
Those involved in these UK state plans wait for a regular message or call in the midst of government to let them know they are leaving.
Jamal says,” I stayed with them side by side, make by head, and I supported them on the front, but I don’t understand what the American state is doing with us.” Several decades ago, they abandoned us.
It is not great for us here, so I’m asking the American government to please take us to the UK right away.
On this account, more
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14 August
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No takers for Kyrgyzstan’s debt-for-nature swapsÂ
Bishkek is alarmed that the world bank class is not returning Sadyr Zhaparov’s phone calls. & nbsp,
The Kyrgyz president expressed regret that no developed nation had accepted his offer to negotiate a so-called debt-for-nature” swap” in an address to the UN General Assembly last month.” I have already addressed our partners with the request to exchange external debt for environmental & nbsp, projects ,” he said. Unfortunately, we & nbsp have not gotten a response.
Surprisingly, despite the weather industry’s support for debt-for-nature” transfers ,” which are meant to roll back threats to biodiversity and the negative effects of climate change on the environment, the global community seems to have given Zhaparov the cold shoulder. In addition, & nbsp,
The climate crisis is a culture we are losing, but it is one we can win, according to UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
Loan for nature transfers are one of the ways to turn the tide. & nbsp: Disregarding the efforts of nations like Kyrgyzstan to make such” swaps” is a failure to uphold solemn commitments to halt the negative effects of climate change. & nbsp,
Bishkek has been holding regular, if sporadic, working group discussions with its creditors about the potential for debt-for-nature & nbsp, swaps & inbph, and other hybrid arrangements for the past 20 years. & nbsp: Zhaparov raised the stakes in his most recent speech before the UN General Assembly, urging his creditors to honor their agreements. In addition, & nbsp,
What exactly are debt-for-nature transfers?
Debt-for-nature derivatives and nbsp are financial transactions in which bank nations forgive an agreed-upon part of a country’s international debts in exchange for regional investments in the debtor country.
During his time as the Smithsonian Institution’s assistant secretary for climate and physical affairs, Dr. Thomas Lovejoy, the later high priest of debt swaps, and I had the honor of working closely together in this area. & nbsp,( See his testimony before the US Senate in 1991 and his October 1984 op-ed on debt swaps in The & ndbp and New York Times, respectively. ) & nbsp,
In order to build the Center for the Study of Biological Diversity & nbsp in Guyana, we completed a hybrid debt-for-biodiversity transaction with the Royal Bank of Canada. We also supported biodiversity initiatives in the Amazon and marine habitats in Pacific waters.
At the time, our main challenge was assuring nations that debt-for-nature transfers had nothing to do with the transfer of property equity( loss of sovereignty ) to foreign interests. & nbsp,
Kyrgyzstan persists
The heads of state of Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan emphasized the immediate need to solve problems with glacial melt, desert, natural source and water administration, as well as the inevitable loss of biodiversity at the UN General Assembly’s opening this year. & nbsp,
In contrast to the other Central Asian leaders, Zhaparov emphasized Kyrgyzstan’s support for” calls made at the Summit for a New Global Financial Pact in Paris [ 2023 ] to mobilize necessary financing [ for environmental initiatives ] and [ carry out ] structural reforms of the international financial architecture.”
Zhaparov argued against Bishkek’s international and bilateral debts, saying,” If we don’t start [ to reform the system ] then, then injustice in the world will increase.” Poor countries will continue to become poorer, while rich nations will keep getting richer. & nbsp,
He thinks that the current world economic system, with its disparities between wealthy and impoverished people, challenging eligibility requirements, and onerous compliance standards, has almost run its course and no longer serves the interests of low-income nations, according to a growing number of nations. & nbsp,
Kyrgyzstan is a leading candidate for mutually beneficial debt-for-nature transfers due to its external debts of no unimportant andnbsp, US$ 9.85 billion, as well as its possession of significant communities and natural resources.
The nation is interested in implementing a number of outstanding natural resource projects, including the long-term management of the Western Tien-Shan mountains, which are on UNESCO’s list of World Heritage, the protection of threatened and / or vulnerable species like the snow leopard, integrated ice and water sources management, and the preservation of numerous native tree species that are in grave danger. & nbsp,
According to all outward appearances, Zhaparov is willing to negotiate on innovative debt-for-nature or other environmental financing arrangements, such as the$ 20 million deal that Peru and the United States completed this past September to support Amazon conservation.
International and bilateral creditors in Europe and Asia could do worse than to shout at President Zhaparov given the significance of Kyrgyzstan’s healthy resources and the scope of its needs in biodiversity management. They would benefit diversity in the world, and the president did undoubtedly answer the phone. In addition, & nbsp,
Hin Leong founder and former oil tycoon OK Lim to testify in his own defence in US$111.7 million case
SINGAPORE: According to a court hearing on Friday, October 13, the founder of the defunct oil trading company Hin Leong Trading will testify in his own defense. He is charged with fraud and bank fraud in the US$ 111.7 million ( S$ 146.7 million ) event.
Three criminal charges were brought against Lim Oon Kuin, 81, in a district court in April. He was accused of two counts of cheating the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation ( HSBC ) and one count of encouraging Hin Leong Trading’s contracts executive to fabricate records.
While this test is still ongoing, more than 100 additional charges against Lim have been dropped. Even though the total volume across all costs is some times that, the amount involved in the proceeded costs for test is about US$ 111.7 million.
According to the prosecution’s case, Lim defrauded HSBC into giving Hin Leong the money by giving the impression that the oil buying firm had signed two contracts for the sale of fuel with China Aviation Oil( Singapore ) Corporation and Unipec Singapore.
Later, Hin Leong informed HSBC that it was having trouble with its profitability and would be asking its lenders for a stop agreement.
Later, Lim called HSBC staff for a conference with his two kids Lim Huey Ching and Lim Chee Meng.
The discounting applications for the sales to CAO and Unipec were allegedly sent to HSBC in error due to” miscommunication ,” according to the prosecution.
Following the phone on April 17, 2020, Hin Leong filed for insolvency days in one of the biggest falls of an oil investing company in history.
Soon after, the police launched available studies, leading to Lim’s more than 100 charges.
The prosecutor calls for a suitable time to provide information.
On Friday, Principal District Judge Toh Han Li discovered that the trial had established a circumstance against Lim on all three counts.
He requested Lim’s testimony, claiming that there was sufficient proof to support each of the accusations.
He explained to Lim that he had two options: either give a hear testimony, or decline it, giving him the chance to visit on additional witnesses for testimony.
He emphasized that if he decided not to speak, the jury might draw a negative conclusion.
Lim, who was released on S$ 4 million loan, announced his testimony through a Mandarin representative.
For the defense’s situation, fifteen days have been set aside. Lim is represented by Davinder Singh Chambers attorneys.
Dr. Yeo Seem Huat is the next witness, according to Mr. Navin Thevar, who informed the court that his customer would be one of two.
The defense attorney responded that Lim’s kids wouldn’t be called to testify” at the moment” when the prosecutor questioned them.
He continued by saying that he would be requesting more falls for Lim, who is wheelchair-bound and sick.
Lim will be giving oral testimonial, the attorney added, unless he specifically states otherwise. In that situation, he might testify through conditioned comments.
Lead attorney Christopher Goh responded by stating that he disagreed with the accuser’s use of conditioned claims as evidence in the Criminal Procedure Code.
The trial typically employs this tactic.
If this was the program the defense wanted to take, Mr. Goh said the prosecutors would have to think about it.
According to the defense’s measure, Lim is scheduled to take the walk starting on October 30 and lasting for roughly two to three days.
The High Court is currently hearing a distinct legal case against Lim. In that case, brokers are asking Lim for US$ 3.5 billion to settle the company’s obligations for what they claim to be years of scams.
Japan asks court to dissolve ‘Moonies’ church over Shinzo Abe killing
shabby picturesTetsuya Yamagami, his attacker, claimed that Abe was to blame for the church’s family going bankrupt.
The religion claims that the assassination of Abe has wrongfully denigrated it.
The Unification Church will be able to continue operating as an organization even though it will reduce its tax advantages if it is dissolved.
Yamagami asserted that his family, who had been a member of the church for three years, was compelled to make donations. Thousands of dollars’ worth of lawsuits have been filed in response to similar allegations.
A spiritual order may be dissolved under Japan’s Religious Corporations Law if its activities are” evidently recognized as being greatly harmful to people welfare.”
The temple was previously fined by Japan’s education government for failing to respond to inquiries about its activities by the Tokyo District Court.
Before his passing, there was a lot of discussion about Abe’s connection with the church, particularly on social media.
He made an appearance as a speaker on the sidelines at an event related to the chapel in 2021. Due to the church’s anti-communist attitude, his father, who was also a former prime minister, was rumored to have been close to it.
According to experts, it first arrived in Japan in the 1960s and developed relationships with officials to increase its popularity.
The church has been embroiled in controversy for decades, and detractors have called it” cult-like.”
Users who assert that they were coerced into making donations to the chapel have filed numerous complaints against it. According to their attorneys, the plaintiffs have lost at least 5.4 billion renminbi($ 39 million,£ 33 million ) over the previous five years.
The Liberal Democratic Party, led by the current prime minister, Fumio Kishida, discovered that 179 of its 379 politicians had ties to the Unification Church.
Following that, Mr. Kishida urged LDP politicians to sever ties with the Unification Church and emphasized his lack of affiliation with it personally.
After recently refusing requests to do so, he ordered an investigation into the church in October of last year and declared that” he was taking really” allegations that the congregation had taken advantage of its members for financial gain.
According to Professor Yoshihide Sakurai of Hokkaido University, who has written a guide on the Unification Church and is an authority on religion issues, the power of the” very dangerous” religion may be significantly reduced.
According to Prof. Sakurai, the public will become afraid of it, and it will be viewed as scandalous for politicians to be associated with it.
The court order never, he said, stop the group’s activities because it still has dozens of affiliated political and business organizations, such as magazine publishing companies, travel agencies, and suppliers.
The breakdown purchase might not even be granted by the court, according to Prof. Sakurai.
” Tens of thousands of supporters also claim that they chose to join the church and are still taking part in its activities. It will be challenging for the court to determine that the organization is wholly judicial because both patients and followers exist at the same time, he said.
Hideharu Tamura in Tokyo provided extra coverage.
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July 23, 2022
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China’s narrowing trade slump boosts recovery prospects, but challenges persist
But, Lv Daliang, the General Administration of Customs’ spokesperson, stated earlier on Friday at a press conference that China’s industry still faces an intricate and challenging physical environment. In September, China’s exports to the ASEAN countries, which have grown to be the largest business partner of the Asian giant dueContinue Reading
China, India on a tightrope over Gaza-Israel war
A group of US lawmakers were in Beijing as Hamas insurgents suddenly launched an attack across the Gaza borders. The Foreign Ministry of China issued a statement about the harm that was studiously balanced and only demanded” relax” and an immediate peace.
The Democrat Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, the trip’s senior senator, expressed his hope for a stronger conviction of Hamas on social advertising while he was still in the nation.
Although China has dismissed the criticism, it highlights the difficult truth that Asiatic nations seeking to dominate the Middle East must face: politics still exist.
Strong nations in Asia have frequently envied America’s effect in the Middle East and have attempted to seize some of it. However, there are still serious, unsolved political tensions in the area, as the escalating conflict in Israel shows. And when they explode, Middle Eastern nations expect assistance, so Asiatic nations can’t just watch from the sidelines.
Due to its efforts to strengthen relationships with both Israel and the Palestinians, China’s politics is a particularly challenging juggling act. The Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas visited the nation in June, and Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel is expected to do the same after this year.
However, the same is also true for India, which has previously had close ties to the Palestinians but has been socially moving closer to Israel under Narendra Modi. Both nations seem to think they can” win from afar ,” pursuing diplomatic victories while avoiding becoming mired in the complexities of the Middle East’s wars.
Both are treading a fine line while clinging to the social victories they think they have while trying to avoid getting sucked too deeply into another round of problems. But as the conflict intensifies, maintaining that balance will need a deft juggling act.
Because Beijing has aimed to present itself as both the second power and a nation whose politics is different from that of the United States, China’s diplomatic relations will be much more difficult to navigate than those of India. Both provide difficulties.
China will need to get involved if it wants to be a power, or at the very least show that it can influence the political landscape of various nations. In light of the stunning reports of kidnapped Jewish men and women, it will need a more subtle approach to policy if it wants to differ from the United States, or even one that leans toward the Palestinian camp.
It has resorted to studied independence thus far. However, as the actual conflict breaks out and it becomes more obvious whether a Taiwanese nation is actually one of the hostages taken by Hamas, maintaining neutrality will become more difficult.
If you go too far into the Jewish station, nations outside the West will start to wonder if China has something unique to offer, and you’ll see that Beijing is being criticized for essentially siding with Hamas’ fighters. Independence eliminates a lot of choices.
Beijing, which may have been misled into thinking it was secure by brokering the Saudi-Iran rapprochement & nbsp at the beginning of the year, will be unprepared for the entire situation. However, the diplomats were attempting to open a door that because both nations desired better relationships. Longtime rivals Israel and Hamas are currently at war.
Beijing may be expected to get involved in Palestinian and Israeli government more than airily issuing calling for peace as a result of China’s June embrace of the Israeli president, which does not prevent support for Israel or criticism of Hamas.
not just it, either. Beijing’s seek for allies in the Middle East also resulted in its embrace of Bashar al-Assad next month, who made a unique journey outside of Syria.
However, there is the fact of getting engaged in distant problems once more. Does anyone think that China had support Syria if the Gaza war erupted and spilled over, as much as President Xi Jinping offered Assad financial investment and claimed that ties between the two countries had reached” corporate relationship” degree?
If Israel invades the area on foot as anticipated and the humanitarian burden starts to rise, India may also consider the firm words of support waning. That could affect public judgment both domestically and internationally. It might even result in denunciation from the Arab states, which employ a sizable number of Indian workers, complicating Modi’s situation.
Beyond the details, it draws attention to a larger problem for nations whose foreign policies are based on the notion that unresolvable conflicts ensure security.
Modi stated that a new business corridor connecting Europe to the Arab Gulf state and India may serve as the” foundation of earth trade for hundreds of years” when it was unveiled at the G20 last month. Within months, it is now facing a major challenge. because a protracted war may threaten good relationships between Saudi Arabia and Israel, which are necessary for the hall.
So, this is the conundrum facing the Eastern companies. In the Middle East, being a power seller requires more than just pleasantries; it occasionally entails getting involved in politics. Expansion of the Middle East was intended to be a means of projecting strength onto the global level for China, which competed with America, and for India, who rivaled China.
Both don’t seem to be prepared for the possibility that, in the event of a protracted regional war, they might have to do more than just provide political words. Superpower-aspiring nations may stay on the periphery.
The copyright-holding Syndication Bureau, & nbsp, provided this article.
Faisal Al Yafai is a frequent commentator on international TV news networks and is currently working on henchmen on the & nbsp, Middle & ndsb, and East & NBP.
He has covered the nbsp, Middle & Nb, East, NB, Eastern, North, South, Europe, Asia, and North Africa for media organizations like The Guardian and the BBC. & nbsp, @ FaisalAlYafai on Twitter
Woman seen in viral videos arguing with police at hospital charged with multiple offences
SINGAPORE: On Friday, October 13, a woman who had allegedly filmed herself arguing with police officers in two popular videos was charged with several offenses, including abuse and the alleged use of harsh language on an employee. Han Feizi, 29, who is on trial, appeared in court via video link.Continue Reading